✦   Fides quaerens intellectum   ✦

St. Vincent's Thomistic Reading Group

Church of St. Vincent Ferrer  ·  New York
Saint Thomas Aquinas — Sandro Botticelli, c. 1481
Sandro Botticelli  ·  Saint Thomas Aquinas  ·  c. 1481
"The perfection of the intellect is truth as known."
Saint Thomas Aquinas · Summa Theologiae I, Q. 16, Art. 2
1225 – 1274  ·  Doctor Angelicus  ·  Patron of Schools and Universities

Born in Roccasecca and drawn to the Dominicans against his family's wishes, Thomas studied under Albert the Great in Cologne and Paris, then taught at the University of Paris and the papal court. His crowning achievement, the Summa Theologiae, wove Aristotelian philosophy into Christian revelation and became the foundation of Western scholastic thought. He died at forty-eight, was canonized in 1323, and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1567.

Next Meeting
Date
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Time
7:00–8:00 PM
Saint Thomas Aquinas by Gerald Vann, O.P. · Chapter 1, “St. Thomas: the Man”
The Parlors · red brick building on Lexington Ave. between E. 65th & E. 66th Streets
All are welcome — even if you have not done the reading.
See full 2026–27 schedule ↓
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Current Reading
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Gerald Vann, O.P.
About the Author & Book

Gerald Vann, O.P. (1906–1963) was a British Dominican theologian and philosopher whose writing sought to present Saint Thomas Aquinas as a thinker of intellectual breadth, spiritual depth, and enduring relevance.

Saint Thomas Aquinas is Vann’s interpretive introduction to Aquinas and Thomism. For the group’s autumn restart, our first meeting will cover Chapter 1, “St. Thomas: the Man.”

2026–27 Schedule

All meetings begin at 7:00 PM in the Parlors, except where noted.

Sept. 10
Sept. 24
Oct. 8
Oct. 22
Nov. 5
Nov. 19
Dec. 3
Dec. 10
Christmas Break
Jan. 14
Jan. 28
Feb. 11
Feb. 25
March 11
Easter Break
April 8
April 22 — Parish Center (Laity have the Parlors)
May 6 — Ascension
May 20
About the Group

The Thomistic Reading Group at St. Vincent Ferrer meets roughly every two weeks to read and discuss texts in the tradition of Saint Thomas Aquinas — including Aquinas himself, his commentators, and scholars who have engaged seriously with the Thomistic intellectual heritage.

Founded in the autumn of 2024 and moderated by a Dominican friar of the parish, the group welcomes anyone drawn to the intersection of faith and reason. No prior background in philosophy or theology is required.

To join the mailing list or ask a question, write to gregorymcniff@gmail.com. The group is free and open to all. For parish information visit svsc.info.

What to Expect

A member introduces the evening's reading, and the conversation flows freely from there, with Fr. Francis Belanger, O.P., offering context and direction. Meetings run about an hour. Feel free to come even if you'd like to stay in listen-only mode.

Fr. Francis Belanger, O.P.
Parochial Vicar
Moderator of the Thomistic Reading Group
Gregory McNiff
Organizer
Location

We meet in the Parlors — the red brick building on the parish block along Lexington Avenue between E. 65th and E. 66th Streets, immediately next to the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer.

Corner of E. 65th St. & Lexington Ave.
New York, NY 10065
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Featured Article
★   Recommended Reading Why You Should Get to Know Thomas Aquinas, Even 800 Years After He Lived The Conversation  ·  2024

A clear, contemporary introduction to Aquinas and his enduring influence on philosophy, theology, and the relationship between faith and reason. An excellent place to start.

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